The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is at work in over 40 countries and 26 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. The IRC has been operating in Thailand since 1975 and currently provides assistance to displaced persons in Tak, Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi and Mae Hong Son provinces.

Job Overview/Summary

The IRC’s Protection program in Thailand works to integrate international humanitarian protection principles into all facets of program implementation, while promoting increased access to justice and legal services for conflict-affected individuals and communities. The program seeks to protect and promote the rights of displaced persons in refugee camps, and ensures that people are safe in their homes and communities; that they receive appropriate support after experiencing harm, and aims to enable displaced people to exercise free and informed decisions on where and how to live. The program also promotes multi-sectoral approaches to ensure refugees receive comprehensive support on legal, medical and psychosocial care. The Senior Social Worker will play a key role in protection case management by working closely with the legal team, the Women’s Protection and Empowerment (WPE) team and the health team on case management. As a member of the Protection team, the Senior Social Worker will take the lead in strengthening case management mechanism through his/her responsibility in capacity building and advocacy to ensure the IRC and partner organizations have the necessary knowledge and skills to provide services to clients that aligned with standardized social work principles relevant to the law, to protect displaced people who experienced different forms of violence.

The Senior Social Worker will be under the direct supervision of the Senior Protection Manager and under the overall supervision of the Protection and Livelihoods Coordinator. The position is based in Maesot, Tak province with regular travel to Mae Hong Son, Bangkok, Ratchaburi and Kanchanaburi provinces.

Major Responsibilities

Case Management

Serve as a social worker on case management by working closely and in tandem with the IRC’s Protection, WPE and Health staff on case management - assessing clients' needs, situations, strengths, and support networks to determine the best care and support plan for each client.

Coordinate with relevant organizations and case management team(s) internally and externally in conducting needs assessment, situations and support networks and develop a rights-based care plan for each case that is under the responsibility of the IRC.

Coordinate with the IRC’s protection, WPE and health teams and relevant organizations to provide psychosocial support on different protection cases.

Work closely, and in tandem with the Protection and WPE staff on providing witness support for GBV and child protection cases, which require access to justice.

Technical Support and Capacity Building

Provide input related to social work - strengthen-based approaches and support systems on case management in order to develop support systems for clients and ensure that necessary support and services are aligned with social work principles and protection principles.

Take the lead in developing training curriculum and conduct training related to social work principles, social work knowledge and skills to partners and IRC’s staff.

Develop tools in support of existing IRC tools to strengthen case management processes such as fact finding, needs assessment, care plan and case coordination guidelines and other tools to enhance case management practices and processes internally and externally.

Provide technical support to the IRC staff and partners in developing and implementing referral guidelines or standard operating procedures related to protection services to displaced people along Thailand-Myanmar border.

Take the lead in implementing joint activities with the Thai Department of Social Welfare to improve standard of care and alternative care for shelters along the Thai-Myanmar border.

In coordination with the Senior Protection Manager, mentor and organize relevant trainings for Community Legal Volunteers and Community Social Development Volunteers.

Networking and Advocacy

Serve as the IRC’s representative with the Department of Social Welfare and the One Stop Service Crisis Center (OSCC) on relevant matters.

Serve as the focal person in coordinating with academic institutions such as the Faculty of Social Administrative of Thammasart University and the Thailand Social Work Association.

Represent the IRC in meetings with stakeholders or Thai government agencies as assigned by the Protection and Livelihoods Coordinator or the Senior Protection Managers

Reporting

Collect and document data on program progress and program monitoring and evaluation in coordination with the Senior Protection Manager and provide program data for donor reports and project reports.

Support the Senior Protection Manager and the Protection and Livelihoods Coordinator in developing program lessons learned and information necessary for program implementation.

Actively participate in, and contribute to, the IRC Thailand country program meetings and trainings as relevant.

External: Provincial Department of Social Development and Human Security, One Stop Service Crisis Center at hospitals along the Thai-Myanmar border, the Faculty of Social Administration of Thammasart University, Thailand Social Worker Association.

Job Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Social Work is required.

Minimum three years of work experience as a social worker and experience on case management is required.

Experience in conducting training, mentoring and coaching.

Strong social skills and experience in developing tools for case management.

Experience in networking and coordinating with the Thai Department of Social Development and Human Security and academic institutions on social work related issues.

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

Ability to prioritize tasks and work under pressure and ability to be flexible and work in a fast-paced environment under competing deadlines.

Responsive to urgent requests on a timely basis.

Willingness to travel frequently to the field and meet with partners.

Good problem solving skills.

Understanding of working in a multicultural environment.

Good command of written and spoken English. Burmese is a plus.

Computer proficient, with experience using Microsoft Word and Excel.

Certificates or Licenses: Thai Social Worker License

Working Environment:This position is based in the IRC field office in Maesot, with extensive travel to the other field sites and the refugee camps along the Thailand-Myanmar border.

All applications will be treated confidentially and not returned. The IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, national origin, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, age, marital status or physical or mental disability. The IRC is an equal opportunity employer.

HOW TO APPLY:

The position has been posted on the IRC website and can be found here. Please apply via link below

All applications will be treated confidentially and not returned. The IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, national origin, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, age, marital status or physical or mental disability. The IRC is an equal opportunity employer.